Trouble using java.lang.reflect.Field class

[wirdsmoth]

Hello,

I tried using java.lang.reflect.Field class Objects to get the fields a particular class at run time and use and get their respective values using get(Object obj) method that is defined in the java.lang.reflect.Field class . Though I was successful in getting the Field objects of a particular class ( by using java.lang.Class class's getDeclaredFields() method) , i am not able to get the 'value' that is stored in a particular Field.

Here is the code which I wrote to experiment with the Field class :

import java.lang.reflect.*;

class TwoSe {  
    void field() {
	Container<String> hm= new Container<String>("Raeder");
	Field[] f=hm.getClass().getDeclaredFields();
	String st= new String();
	for(Field g : f) {
	    try {
		System.out.println(g.get(st));
	    }catch(Exception e) {
		throw new RuntimeException(e);
	    }
	}
    }
}
class Container<T> {
    T bag;
    Container(T n) {
	bag=n;
    }
    T get() {return bag;}
}
public class Sample {
    public static void main(String[] args) {
	TwoSe t = new TwoSe();	
	t.field();
    }
}

The above code is compiling successfully, but I am getting a IIegalArgumentException when I run the file.

Here are the details of the Exception that I am getting :

Exception in thread "main" java.lang.RuntimeException: java.lang.IllegalArgumentException: Can not set java.lang.Object field Container.bag to java.lang.String
	at TwoSe.field(Sample.java:12)
	at Sample.main(Sample.java:27)
Caused by: java.lang.IllegalArgumentException: Can not set java.lang.Object field Container.bag to java.lang.String
	at sun.reflect.UnsafeFieldAccessorImpl.throwSetIllegalArgumentException(UnsafeFieldAccessorImpl.java:164)
	at sun.reflect.UnsafeFieldAccessorImpl.throwSetIllegalArgumentException(UnsafeFieldAccessorImpl.java:168)
	at sun.reflect.UnsafeFieldAccessorImpl.ensureObj(UnsafeFieldAccessorImpl.java:55)
	at sun.reflect.UnsafeObjectFieldAccessorImpl.get(UnsafeObjectFieldAccessorImpl.java:36)
	at java.lang.reflect.Field.get(Field.java:376)
	at TwoSe.field(Sample.java:10)
	... 1 more

I will be very thankful if you can help set right the above code or provide me with help on how to use the java.lang.reflect.Field class .

Here is the link to the Documentation page of the java.lang.reflect.Field class, if you need it : Field (Java Platform SE 6)

I thank you for your help !.

[eRaaaa]

System.out.println(g.get(hm));

[wirdsmoth]

System.out.println(g.get(hm));

I thank you for your terse reply eRaaaa. I now presume that I have misunderstood the function of the get() method . Here is what I understood : "get() in Field class returns the Object containing the value of the field that Field represents " . Am I right in my perception ?. If I am not, can anyone give an explanation of the function or the 'object' of the get() method .

Thank you for your help !.

[eRaaaa]

If I am not, can anyone give an explanation of the function or the 'object' of the get() method .

See: Field.get()

Parameters:
obj - object from which the represented field's value is to be extracted

Returns:
the value of the represented field in object obj; primitive values are wrapped in an appropriate object before being returned

[wirdsmoth]

Parameters:
obj - object from which the represented field's value is to be extracted

Thanks for the decisive answer eRaaaa,but where is the field's value extracted to ?.

[Fubarable]

Thanks for the decisive answer eRaaaa,but where is the field's value extracted to ?.

It's returned by the method. Check out the API link in eRaaaa's post above.

[wirdsmoth]

Okay , Now I understand the real meaning of this method. What I was actually trying to do was this : get the value that Field is having , for instance

class Container<T> {
 T bag;
 public Container(T s) { st = s }
 T get() { return st; }
 void generic() {
   Field[] f= this.getClass().getDeclaredFieds(); 
   /*
    * Now I have f[] which has the field of my class Container.My question is whether 
    * is there a way to get the 'data' that is being stored in the field, i.e, in this case, 
    * is it possible to get the data that is stored 'bag' field.This is what i exactly want. and 
    * now I have realized get() cannot do that 
    */
   
 }
}

Thank you for your help

[Fubarable]

I believe that get can get the data from the fields, and is the only way I know how to do this.

If you're having problems using it, let's see how you're calling it.

Note that this is misspelled: getDeclaredFieds

[wirdsmoth]

I believe that get can get the data from the fields, and is the only way I know how to do this.

get() does get the value of the 'field's' value but the its the value of the 'obj' argument field's and not the Field object's own ! .

If you're having problems using it, let's see how you're calling it.

I am modifying the previous illustration and adding code which effectively calls the get() method of the Field class .

class Container<T> {
 T bag;
 public Container(T s) { st = s }
 T get() { return st; }
 void generic() {
   Field[] f= this.getClass().getDeclaredFields();
  Container<String> c = new Container<String>("Screw it, Lets Do it");
  Object ob = f[0].get(c); 
  System.out.println(ob);
  /* 
   *  The above "System.out.println()" statement will print "Screw it, Lets Do it" 
   *  and not "Richard Branson" . What I want to do is , Print "Richard Branson" .
   * 
   */
 }
}

class Execute { 
 public static void main(String[] args) {
   Container<String> cs = new Container<String>("Richard Branson");
   cs.generic();
 }
}

Note that this is misspelled: getDeclaredFieds

Please ignore the spelling mistake.

Thanks for your help !.

[Fubarable]

Please ignore the spelling mistake.

We can't do this and shouldn't do this. If your code doesn't compile or run for me when we test it due to spelling mistakes, we really can't help you. For example your code above won't compile as you are using undeclared variables such as st and s as well as other problems. We recommend that you post only real code, if you want real help.

[Fubarable]

By the way, the code is doing what you tell it to. You are getting the data held by the first (and only) field for the String held by the c Container object which is the String "Screw it, Lets Do it", not the field held by the current object, this. In other words, there's a world of difference between these two statements:

         ob = f[0].get(c);
         
         ob = f[0].get(this);

Please note I had to do a bit of corrections to your code just to get it to run which isn't fair to me or others in this forum if you are asking for free help. Again, please post only real code.

[wirdsmoth]

By the way, the code is doing what you tell it to. You are getting the data held by the first (and only) field for the String held by the c Container object which is the String "Screw it, Lets Do it", not the field held by the current object, this. In other words, there's a world of difference between these two statements:

         ob = f[0].get(c);
         
         ob = f[0].get(this);

I Thank you Fubarable for giving me a solution to the problem in hand . I am very grateful to you.You may mark the thread as SOLVED.

Please note I had to do a bit of corrections to your code just to get it to run which isn't fair to me or others in this forum if you are asking for free help. Again, please post only real code.

I am real sorry,Point noted, I will make sure that I post only real code from now on :o